AP quoted an aide to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the spiritual leader of many Iraqi Shiites, as saying that if he felt the agreement infringed on Iraqi sovereignty, he would “directly intervene.” Other aides have said that Sistani would be inclined to accept the agreement if parliament did, but it is not clear that they were transmitting a message from him so much as expressing their impressions of his stance (which may have been incorrect). Sistani was a major force in challenging the original draft proposed by Bush, which left Iraq little real sovereignty.

al-Hayat said that Muqtada al-Sadr defiantly rejected the agreement and talked in a statement read out by Salah al-Ubaidi at the Kufa Mosque about the “Brigade of the Judgment Day” that he said would fight the American military if it decided to remain in Iraq. He called for a unified (Shiite and Sunni) Friday prayer session in the middle of Baghdad to be followed by a demonstration condemning the agreement. Muqtada said that the new special force would only turn its weapons on foreign troops (i.e. it would not challenge the Iraqi military itself, which is largely loyal to al-Maliki). Muqtada’s statement said, “If the American forces remain, I will reinforce the resisters, especially the brigades subsumed under the banner of the Judgment Day.” He called on the “special groups” or “Bands of the Eternal Truth” (which the US charges are Iran-backed) to “enlist behind this mujahid banner.” (Although some observers said he threatened to create a new fighting unit, in fact he has talked this way before and seems to be referring in code to existing forces, which have temporarily stood down. It strikes me that he might be trying to get control of the “special groups” by promising them a sectorial, militant role. But it is rumored that Iran now feels that the best way to get the US out is to cease attacking its troops, so Muqtada, who is a guest of Iran at the moment, may be bluffing.)

He also called for all Friday prayer congregations in the capital to hold a joint mega-ceremony next Friday in the midst of Baghdad “to intertwine the efforts of all Muslims– Sunni and Shiite– for the purpose of ensuring the failure of the agreement,which aims at selling out Iraq.” He called on everyone to join a peaceful demonstration after Friday prayers. He added that he he hoped all Muslim countries would support the protest Friday prayer and demonstration by holding ones like it in their own countries.

AP quoted an aide to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the spiritual leader of many Iraqi Shiites, as saying that if he felt the agreement infringed on Iraqi sovereignty, he would “directly intervene.” Other aides have said that Sistani would be inclined to accept the agreement if parliament did, but it is not clear that they were transmitting a message from him so much as expressing their impressions of his stance (which may have been incorrect). Sistani was a major force in challenging the original draft proposed by Bush, which left Iraq little real sovereignty.

al-Hayat said that Muqtada al-Sadr defiantly rejected the agreement and talked in a statement read out by Salah al-Ubaidi at the Kufa Mosque about the “Brigade of the Judgment Day” that he said would fight the American military if it decided to remain in Iraq. He called for a unified (Shiite and Sunni) Friday prayer session in the middle of Baghdad to be followed by a demonstration condemning the agreement. Muqtada said that the new special force would only turn its weapons on foreign troops (i.e. it would not challenge the Iraqi military itself, which is largely loyal to al-Maliki). Muqtada’s statement said, “If the American forces remain, I will reinforce the resisters, especially the brigades subsumed under the banner of the Judgment Day.” He called on the “special groups” or “Bands of the Eternal Truth” (which the US charges are Iran-backed) to “enlist behind this mujahid banner.” (Although some observers said he threatened to create a new fighting unit, in fact he has talked this way before and seems to be referring in code to existing forces, which have temporarily stood down. It strikes me that he might be trying to get control of the “special groups” by promising them a sectorial, militant role. But it is rumored that Iran now feels that the best way to get the US out is to cease attacking its troops, so Muqtada, who is a guest of Iran at the moment, may be bluffing.)

He also called for all Friday prayer congregations in the capital to hold a joint mega-ceremony next Friday in the midst of Baghdad “to intertwine the efforts of all Muslims– Sunni and Shiite– for the purpose of ensuring the failure of the agreement,which aims at selling out Iraq.” He called on everyone to join a peaceful demonstration after Friday prayers. He added that he he hoped all Muslim countries would support the protest Friday prayer and demonstration by holding ones like it in their own countries.